Observing Juneteenth with Purpose

Juneteenth — observed each year on June 19 — commemorates the day in 1865 when Union Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, announcing that enslaved people were free. The announcement came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, a delay that highlights the uneven distribution of freedom and justice in our country’s history.

Early Juneteenth celebrations — sometimes called Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, or Jubilee Day — centered on faith, family, food, music, and storytelling. Those traditions continue today in community gatherings, educational events, and cultural celebrations. In 2021, Juneteenth (Juneteenth National Independence Day) became a U.S. federal holiday.

For Alpha Omicron Pi members, especially alumnae volunteers, Juneteenth can be a meaningful time of year to reinforce sisterhood and belonging in practical ways. It’s an opportunity to learn with humility, model inclusive leadership, and support chapters as they build environments where members feel genuinely seen, heard, and valued. Observing Juneteenth with purpose can also prompt a helpful check-in. Are our chapter practices — recruitment, member education, traditions, and everyday culture — creating connection, or are they unintentionally creating barriers?

The following are a few ways to observe Juneteenth with purpose:

• Learn together (and make space for questions). Choose a reputable article, short video, documentary, podcast episode, museum exhibit, or public lecture; then host a discussion grounded in curiosity and respect.
• Support Black-owned businesses. Consider a chapter “meet-and-eat,” a gift card fundraiser, or a spotlight on local Black-owned businesses (especially those near campus).
• Serve with community partners. Volunteer or fundraise with organizations working on education, health equity, youth mentorship, housing stability, food access, or voting engagement—ideally by following the partner’s stated needs and guidance.
• Review chapter practices through a belonging lens. With chapter leaders, examine recruitment, new member education, traditions, risk management, and social norms for barriers to inclusion (including financial expectations, “unwritten rules,” and how feedback is received).
• Center member care. If your chapter includes members for whom Juneteenth is personally significant, ask what support would be helpful and avoid placing the burden of education on any single member.
• Use your volunteer role for sustainable impact. Encourage year-round goals (not one-day initiatives), such as inclusive leadership training, diverse campus partnerships, and ongoing education that aligns with AOII’s values.

At its core, Juneteenth holds two truths at once — celebration and responsibility. Chapters may mark the day with a program, a service project, or a thoughtful social post—but the most lasting impact often comes from what happens afterward: continued learning, relationships rooted in respect, and consistent choices that advance fairness and belonging on campus and in the community.

By remembering the past and listening well in the present, we can help shape chapters that live out AOII’s values, especially the commitment to creating a sense of belonging.